​This year is the 9th annual Computing At School national conference (and my 5th) during which time I've picked up some great ideas and met some fabulous people! Being a seasoned 'veteran' when it comes to education conferences, I thought i'd share some handy tips to help you survive/make the most out of the day:

Mix and mingle – CAS Conference is not just about the workshops and keynotes, it’s also about networking. Talk to the people next to you in workshops and during lunch and breaks. Remember, you all have something in common!

Remember to take your chargers – Your laptop, tablet and phone are going to take a hammering so remember to take all your chargers!Top tip: Take a notebook and pen just in case all your devices fail! I also recommend taking/purchasing a portable USB charger or back-up battery for your phone!

Two heads are better than one – With so many great workshops, you may find it difficult to decide which one to go to. If you’re going with a colleague or friend, split up so that you can cover more sessions!

Speak to the presenters – If you can’t make a workshop, seek out the presenter at the end of the workshop or during lunch and ask if they have any resources to share.

Follow the hashtag – If you can’t make it to the conference, Twitter is the next best thing. Search for the hashtag #CASconf17 and use tools such as TweetDeck or HootSuite to keep track of what’s happening.

Take a break – With so many great ideas buzzing through your head, things can get overwhelming! Take a moment to pause and reflect and don’t forget to drink lots of water.

Try at least one thing – Try at least one thing you picked up at the conference when you return to the classroom the following week. If you leave it too long, you risk losing the initial enthusiasm and momentum!

#SharingIsCaring – Share what you’ve learned with colleagues back at work, on your blog or via social media.

Check out the CAS Community – Visit the CAS Community resources page after the conference to download the presentations from all the workshops and keynotes.

What is #PiDay

Pi Day is celebrated around the world on March 14th. The reason why it's celebrated on March 14th is because, using the American date format, March the 14th is 3.14 (Month.Day) and, as we all know that Pi (the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter) is approximately 3.14146 (or 3.14 to 2dp) ​

In celebration of this momentous (all be it geeky) day, I have compiled a collection of my Raspberry Pi related resources:

Hour of CodeThe official Hour of Code website - http://hourofcode.com/us/resources - has lots of resources to introduce hour of code week such as videos, posters and hand outs.

Code.orgCode.org - http://code.org/ - Has lots of tutorials for hour of code including creating a winter wonderland with Anna & Elsa from Frozen.

TouchDevelopTouchDevelop - https://www.touchdevelop.com/hourofcode2 - Has a selection of step-by-step tutorials for hour of code to teach students how to create their own Windows Store apps including a version of Flappy Bird.

An Hour of PythonAn Hour of Python - https://hourofpython.com/ - has a collection of tutorials to introduce programming in Python using the turtle module.

Code Academy (Hour of Code)Code Academy - https://www.codecademy.com/hour-of-code​ - gives students the chance to learn JavaScript by creating an animation or learn HTML by building an interactive solar system.

TynkerTynker - http://www.tynker.com/hour-of-code/ - contains a variety of puzzles, games and activities designed to teach students computational thinking skills and the basics of computer programming.

Practice your coding skills with Santa's Elves. Guide Santa's Elves back to the village with this Build Your Own Blocks style coding activity courtesy of Google: https://santatracker.google.com/codelab.html (Note: nlocks on the 5th December)

#caschat is a weekly Twitter chat, hosted every Tuesday, 8pm, which is dedicated to the teaching of Computing and Computer Science. It came about as a result of the buzz on Twitter surrounding the Computing At School Annual Conference back in July. For those new to the concept, a Twitter chat is a live event where a group of Twitter users meet at a pre-determined time to discuss a particular topic, using a designated hashtag; in this case #caschat. Aside from being a fun way to connect and engage with likeminded professionals, Twitter chats are great for reflection and a perfect medium for sharing resources and best practice.

Tips for taking part in #caschat

For those new to twitter chats, here are some handy tips to get you started:

1. Use the Hashtag.

The hashtag (#) symbol is used to mark keywords or topics in a tweet. It was created by Twitter users as a way to categorise messages. All twitter chats use a designated hashtag. Make sure you use the hashtag at the end of your tweets; this will help others locate your responses. You can also use the hashtag to search for questions you may have missed, for example, search #caschat Q1, Q2 etc.

2. Join in the conversation.

There’s nothing wrong with lurking however, to truly feel the benefits of a chat, it’s best to participate. The most effective way to contribute is to respond to questions however, if you’re feeling a little nervous, the easiest way to get involved is to re-tweet anything you agree with or find helpful. Re-tweeting can also help build relationships with the original poster as well as provide value to your own followers.

The most effective way to engage in the conversation is to reply to questions. Everyone has something to offer ... you never know you might be holding the missing piece of the puzzle. Replying to other people’s questions can also help develop connections with new users and encourage them to follow you on Twitter.

3. Label your responses.

Most chat sessions use the Q1, A1, Q2, A2, (question / answer) format. When replying to a question, always label your answers with the question number.

Example:

Question:

Q1. What is a hashtag? #caschat

Typical response:

A1. The hashtag symbol is used to label a tweet – similar to a label on a folder! #caschat

5. Don't be afraid to ask questions.

If you’re not sure about a topic or don’t understand an abbreviation or term used in a question, it’s OK to ask! My experience of education chats is that everyone involved is supportive and non-judgemental. We were all new to twitter once and will totally understand how daunting twitter chats can be at first so don’t be afraid to ask no matter how stupid you think the question is – chances are you’re not the only one thinking the same thing!

Here are a few common abbreviations used in twitter chats along with their meaning:

RT = Re-tweet

MT = Modified Tweet (A re-tweeted message that has been modified from the original)

HT = Hat Tip or Heard Through (Usually used to acknowledge/credit the original source)

Ts = Teachers

Ss = Students

Ps = Parents

4. Take your time.

Some chat sessions, particularly popular fast paced sessions, can appear daunting at first however, the trick is to go at your own pace. Equally, it’s OK to dip in and out of chat sessions – don’t feel guilty if you have to leave a chat session early or join a chat late.​

Interested in hosting #caschat?​We are always looking for volunteers to host #caschat. If you’re interested, check out the official #caschat thread on the CAS Community and register your interest.

It gave me great delight to return to the school where I took my first steps towards becoming a teacher. It was great to see some familiar faces but it was also great to see how the school has progressed. Everywhere I went, students were busily working away (despite the intense heat) and I could sense a positive vibe all around the school!

The reason for my visit was to run a workshop on TouchDevelop. For those unfamiliar with the web app, TouchDevelop is a novel programming environment that runs on iPad, iPhone, Android, PC, Mac, Windows Phone. If you have a mobile device, you write scripts by tapping on the screen. You do not need a separate PC or keyboard. TouchDevelop can be used in the classroom to teach programming concepts, and TouchDevelop is also ideal for classes on Mobile Computing, as it cuts the time required to write apps. To find out more about TouchDevelop and why I think it's perfect for introducing coding at KS4, visit my TouchDevelop Challenge website: touchdevelop.weebly.com

During the session, staff and students explored how to use the in-built turtle library in #TouchDevelop as well as how to create amazing 8-bit graphics using the Pixel Art library. At the end of the session, students had a go at creating their very first game using the hour of code tutorials on the #TouchDevelop website. To download the resources for this session (FREE), visit touchdevelop.weebly.com/lessons

An amazing time was had by all and the students were a credit to both the school and their teacher.

On Wednesday, I had the privilege of delivering a #TouchDevelop workshop at Pedmore Technology College. During the session, staff and students explored how to use the in-built turtle library in #TouchDevelop as well as how to create amazing 8-bit graphics using the Pixel Art library. At the end of the session, students had a go at creating their very first game using the hour of code tutorials on the #TouchDevelop website.

An amazing time was had by all and the students were a credit to both the school and their teacher.

Below is a selection of some of the students creations :

Emoji by Aqsa

Snow White by Jodie

Ghost by Millie

Minnie Mouse by Charlotte

Minecraft Axe by Sean

Mushroom by Hallie

“I would like to thank you for coming to my school and delivering a session on Touch Develop. Students were clearly engaged, produced some super quality work. Thank you leaving some resources which I will be using with my KS3 classes till the end of the term. I will also be using Touch Develop in my Pedmore Jam (Computing Festival) tomorrow. Once again, thanks a lot on by behalf and students for a great session.” – Mr. Hanif, Pedmore Technology College

It gives me great pleasure to be co-hosting #TweachCode next Monday (22nd July) at 8pm. This week's chat will focus on Raspberry Pi accessories. During the session I will be exploring how to get the best out of your Raspberry Pi accessories as well as which are the must have accessories for your Pi!

Questions:

1. What are your top 3 recommended / essential accessories for the Raspberry Pi. You can pick only 3 - no cheating!

2. Thinking of your answer to Q1, what are the benefits of these accessories & in what way, if any, do they enhance teaching & learning?

3. What are the barriers/implications of using these accessories with a whole class? What tips/advice do you have?

4. With so many accessories on the market, how do you know which ones to buy?

Research is being conducted by a PhD student at the Institute of Education to look at how your participation in the CAS online community impacts your classroom teaching. Information from this survey will also be fed back to CAS to help us make improvements to the online community. The survey will be open for 4 weeks (from 1 June - 26 June). It's short ( <20 questions) and at the end of each week there will be a chance to win a £25 Amazon.co.uk voucher. Help us make CAS a better online community for you. Click the link below to learn more and take the survey.https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CASteacher

What is Pi day?

So, what is Pi Day and why is this year so important? Pi Day is celebrated around the world on March 14th. The reason why it's celebrated on March 14th is because, using the American date format, March the 14th is 3.14 (Month.Day) and, as we all know that Pi (the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter) is approximately 3.14146 (or 3.14 to 2dp)

So, what is special about this year? Well, at precisely 9:26:53 on 14th March '15, the date and time will read: 3.14.15 9:26:53 which can be translated into - 3.141592653 which just happens to be the first 10 digits of Pi!

In celebration of this momentous (all be it geeky) day, I have compiled a collection of Raspberry Pi related resources: